Saying Thank You
by xlyphiechanx
Summary: When Lucy gets out of the nightclub to get some fresh air, she does not expect herself to be pinned to a wall by a stranger and assaulted...she's doomed that is until a mysterious hero shows up. But, before Lucy can thank him he's gone and she's determined to find him and thank him properly. Just how hard can it be to find a pink haired man? Apparently harder than you think.
1. Chapter 1

She was never really one for parties, but when her persistent best friend dragged her to one of those noisy night clubs, well Lucy really had no choice but to go.

And now standing in the middle of hot and sweaty bodies, grinding against each other, Lucy was missing her comfy pajamas and warm hot chocolate.

The blonde wasn't used to these kinds of surroundings. The four safe walls of her cozy little dorm seemed like heaven compared to this…this whatever you called it.

Firstly, the music was blaring so loud that Lucy knew she would be deaf. Secondly, the stench of alcohol made her feel uncomfortable since she rarely drank. And lastly, Lucy was just so darn _uncomfortable._ She was the quiet girl here at Fairy Tail University. Her GPA was stellar; students practically wished they could be her.

She didn't have many friends, but it never bothered Lucy. She liked quiet, safe, and secure environments.

And now she was here, and trying desperately to get _out._

"Excuse me." Lucy said politely, gliding past the hot sweaty bodies and drunken college students.

She needed to find an exit now.

"Hey what's a sweet little thing like you doing here?" A completely drunk college guy asks, slurring his words and staring Lucy up and down. Feeling insecure under his gaze, she averts her eyes and pushes past him.

Wearing this skimpy dress was a really bad idea. Curse Levy and her persuasive nature.

After some more awkward encounters with drunken guys, almost getting a bottle of beer spilt all over herself, and looking away as couples made out intensely, Lucy finally stepped outside.

"Finally!" The blonde squeaks happily taking a sweet breath of fresh air. Cool air tingles her clammy skin, immediately causing her to relax and lean against the brick wall of the most famous nightclub in all of Fiore.

Checking her watch she notices that it's close to ten and that Levy won't be out for a few more hours.

She groans, knowing that she can't just abandon her friend in a nightclub at this hour.

But she really doesn't want to go back…

Her thoughts are interrupted when she feels a hand cover her mouth and her back being pulled against the rough brick. A tough spot rubs into her back causing her to wince in pain.

"Now, just be quiet and let's get this over with quickly." The random stranger mutters into her ear. She feels his hot intoxicated breath linger there before meeting up with her nose.

Drunk as heck.

The man pins her down, grabbing both of her hands so that they press beside her head. Her eyes turn wide as she notices his lips making contact with her neck. He acts like a hungry animal, nipping and biting harshly.

Lucy only screams as the events catch up with her. Squirming uncomfortably under his rough grip, she tries to free herself.

But, no one seems to hear, and when it seems she's going to be raped right then and there, the man topples over a crack rippling through the thick night air.

The man falls, obviously unconscious, and fresh blood trickles from his bruised nose.

Lucy only shudders, collapsing before warms hands grab her shoulders. Looking up she notices a pair of sharp emerald eyes staring into hers. Her eyes turn wide, fearing that this man will do the same thing to her. Her eyes are glossed with fresh tears, and her breathing is rapid from the apparent shock.

He notices and gives her a warm smile.

"I'm not going to hurt you, are you alright?" He asks, his voice gentle and comforting.

Lucy only nods her head, unable to trust her voice. She eyes the man suspiciously, still nervous as to believe his words. But, his warm glow and soft eyes cause the blonde to forget any ideas of him trying to use her body to his advantage. He just didn't seem like one of those guys.

"He didn't you know…" The guy trails, and I notice his pink hair flowing gently in the soft breeze.

_Pink hair…weird that it looks attractive on him._

Still shaking and practically ready to collapse, Lucy inhales sharply and manages to stand up straight with the help of her unknown hero.

"Y-yes." The blonde manages to squeak out, a genuine smile playing on her pink lips.

He only nods, his posture relaxing as he realizes the situation isn't as bad as he had feared.

Looking down, Lucy notices that her knees have stopped shaking and she closes her eyes, leaning her head against the wall. She feels her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Here she was standing in front of a stranger who saved her from getting raped. She feels helpless and yet again completely grateful for her little hero.

Finally regaining her senses, she opens her eyes only to find the man missing from view. Panicking slightly, she turns her head and notices the empty streets.

_Where did he go?_

Stepping out onto the road she notices that there is no one in sight, only some papers tumbling across the road and the hollering voices from inside the crazy nightclub.

It's like the whole city is deserted and everyone's in their drinking their butts off.

Feeling kind of upset that her hero had run off she heads back into the club to find her best friend.

Determined to find the pink haired man and thank him.

'Cause that's proper right?

Besides how hard can it be?

Pink hair isn't hard to miss….

xXx

**AN: Hello everyone! I bring to you a brand new story! Since I'm really not feeling "Friendzoned" (But don't worry I'm not giving up on it..I just need ideas XD) I've decided to start this one. It's set in college, Lucy's like 22 and Natsu's 23. I'm not going to give much of the plot away, but basically it's going to be a bit humourous, maybe inappropriate (; and obviously heated romannnnce! :D Hopefully this first chapter catches some of your interests.**

**Please leave reviews, they mean a lot and I'd love to hear all of your feedback! :DD**

Until next chapter, toodles~


	2. Chapter 2

xXx

"LU-CHAN YOU WERE ALMOST RA-"

The blonde claps a hand over the blunette's mouth and shushes her.

"Levy, don't just scream things out like that we're in the library!" Lucy scolds, turning various shades of red.

The blonde takes in a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders and letting her hand fall down on the table. Burying her face into her hands she lets out a groan.

"Please, never drag me to one of those clubs ever again." She whines, shivering at the gruesome memory.

His intoxicated breath, his sweaty blonde hair, those piercing blue eyes…Lucy shudders.

"Oh Lu…" Levy coos, rubbing her shoulders apologetically in an attempt to calm the blonde.

Lucy inhales sharply, lifting her head from her hands.

"But, someone did save me…" She begins, a small blush forming on her pale cheeks.

Levy only raises a brow letting her friend elaborate on the story.

"He just came in and whacked the creep senseless! And then I was going to thank him but he disappeared." Lucy says, sighing.

"I want to find him and thank him, but I don't know where to begin."

"Does our little Lucy have a crush on her mysterious hero?" Levy teases, earning a hard covered book being sent at her head. She dodges effortlessly and giggles.

"Oh come on, I'm just teasing."

Lucy only snorts.

But, thinking back to her mysterious hero, he was quite handsome she can't lie about that.

"Well, what did he look like?" Levy asks, leaning her head on her palm, while flipping through her history textbook.

"He had…pink hair." Lucy admits, feeling kind of embarrassed that Levy might get the wrong impression.

The astonishment crossing Levy's face is priceless, but it's not shock…it's something more…something Lucy can't quite pinpoint.

"Pink hair?! Lu he'll be so easy to find! Who else has pink hair?" She asks, a smile spreading across her features, and her eyes dart away from Lucy's.

The blonde notes the odd behavior, but doesn't bother questioning it. Levy has always been awkward around the topic of boys…unless she's wasted.

"That is true…" Lucy agrees, feeling more confident about finding him.

"Don't give up okay, Lu? I'll ask Gajeel about a pink haired dude for you okay?" She says, blushing a bit when mentioning Gajeel. Lucy only smirks.

"Levy, is this just another excuse to talk to him?" The blonde suggests, a devious smirk taking her plump lips.

Levy turns all shades of pink before burying her head in her book and waving Lucy off.

xXx

Turns out Gajeel was no help, he only called Levy a shrimp and she sulked under her bed covers for the rest of the day.

Tapping her fingers impatiently on the wooden desk, Lucy zones out of the boring lecture her history teacher is giving. She can't get her mind off of this random guy…well firstly because he saved her and secondly he's really the only guy who's done something so admirable to her!

She's tried looking him up, but it seems the guy doesn't exist, and if he does he clearly doesn't get out much. Lucy's made a fool of herself, asking people for help, but everyone's waved her off saying no guy has pink hair that attends this college.

"Heartphilia are you listening?" The teacher snaps, causing the blonde to snap out of her thoughts. Anime sweat dripping down the side of her face, she gives her best attempt at a smile and nods.

"Yes!" Lucy squeaks out. The teacher lets out a sigh and turns back around to continue his boring lecture. Lucy only leans on her palm, her mind somewhere else.

...

_Riiiing!_

"Oi, Lucy." A masculine voice says, causing the blonde to blink and snap back into reality. Blinking a few times and letting out a groan Lucy rubs her temples and sleepy eyes.

Looking around she notices that the majority of the class have already left.

"Oh Gray…did class end already?" She asks, looking around with wide eyes. Gray rolls his eyes and takes a seat on top of her desk.

"Yeah…is something up? You're acting weirder than usual." Gray asks, eyeing the blonde. Her hair is frizzed, there's a bit of drool on her chin, and it seems like she's not even focusing on the conversation.

Blinking a few times, Lucy puts on a smile and nods her head a bit too enthusiastically. Of course Gray would notice, they've been childhood friends for years. But, she won't make him worry, not over something so silly.

"Everything is fine, I just haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately." She replies coolly, combing her fingers through her tangled hair.

"So…pink hair huh?" Gray asks, a smirk forming on his lips as he notices the blonde freeze and a stunned expression graze her features.

"W-Who told you that?" She asks, and Gray is about to answer but her expression turns grim only moments after. The deadly aura lingers around her, causing Gray to gulp out of fear. Her eyes turn dark and she claws the desk.

"Levy…" She growls out, brows furrowing and steam pouring out from her ears.

"Lucy?" Gray says nervously, afraid at the blonde's raging behavior. Lucy only glares at him before shoving him aside, slinging her oversized bag over her shoulder, and storming out of the class ready to strangle her friend.

Gray watches her go, chuckling at her antics.

Shoving his hands in his pocket he looks out the window, a distressed look forming on his prominent features.

"So she really doesn't remember you, huh Natsu?"

xXx

**AN: Hmm, what kind of past do Lucy and Natsu have? **

**Please leave a review! (: Thank you for reading and since it's almost the New Year...HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	3. Chapter 3

To say Lucy hated coffee was an understatement.

She _loathed_ it.

And when she took a sip of her supposed hot chocolate only to find the bitter taste of coffee greeting her taste buds, she practically puked all over the sidewalk.

Clutching the paper coffee cup in her hands, the annoyed blonde chucks the cup into a waste bin on the side of the street and storms back to the coffee shop to give the employees a piece of her mind.

Storming through the busy streets, Lucy is too blinded by her anger and not really focusing on where she is going, that is before her shoe gets caught on something and she's plummeting face first onto the rainy pavement.

"EEP!"

And it's as if time slows for the squeaking blonde.

A swift arms catches her stomach and binding arms wrap around her waist. Warm fingers grab the back of her blouse firmly, and Lucy opens her eyes noticing that her nose is inches from touching a muddy puddle of water.

Gasping, she shoots out of her hero's oddly cozy arms and flushes in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry! Oh my I'm really clumsy aren't I?" She giggles awkwardly, fixing her blouse and tucking awkward strands of stray hair behind her ear.

Looking up she notices the man is wearing a baseball cap, and small strands of hair peek out from different directions. He's dressed in casual clothing and his hands are shoved into his pockets as he stares at the blonde with a toothy lopsided grin.

But wait…

is that pink hair?!

"You really should be more careful, so far every time I run into you you're getting yourself into trouble." The rose haired man chuckles.

"It's you from a few nights ago!" The blonde accuses him, pointing a finger.

"You caught me." He retorts, raising his hands in a "I give up" sort of way. He grins again, showing his sharp canines, and his smile is so bright and attractive on his face it causes the blonde's cheeks to heat up.

"H-Hey,s I never got a chance to properly-" The blonde begins, but the baseball cap stranger cuts her off, his mouth coming inches from her ear.

Lucy freezes.

"No need, take care Lucy." He says softly into the blonde's ear, causing her to shiver.

Lucy only stands paralyzed by his words.

"How did he know my…name?" She whispers, her eyes turning wide and her face turning an unhealthy shade of pale.

Just who is this stranger?

"Darn it I didn't even get a chance to say thank you!"

**~X~**

"Natsu, are you even listening?!" A bubbly white haired girl asks her daydreaming friend.

Natsu snaps out of his thoughts, clearing his throat and smiling brightly at his childhood friend.

"Of course I am Lisanna!" The rosette protests, picking up his notebook and staring at the history notes his friend took for him.

His teacher decided to spring a huge history exam right out of nowhere since his class is rowdy, and poor Natsu has no idea where to begin. Thankfully Lisanna was kind enough to come over to his dorm and tutor him.

But, all this time he can't seem to get the blonde out of his head.

All their memories…

And now she only knows him as the guy who saved her.

Snapping her fingers in front of his zoned out face, Lisanna huffs in annoyance.

"Natsu, am I here to tutor you or watch you daydream?" Lisanna asks, giving him an icy glare.

"Sorry Lisanna, let's save the tutoring for another time. I think I'll go take a nap…" He trails, pushing the notebook away from him and resting his head on the table.

"You're thinking about Lucy again aren't you?" Lisanna asks, sadness lacing her own voice.

Lisanna always knew her hot-headed childhood friend had a major crush on her, but ever since that day…

Well, things just haven't been the same.

Natsu only nods his head.

Gently smiling at him, Lisanna puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"She doesn't remember you Natsu…and maybe it's better that way." She pleas, eyes warm and comforting.

Natsu swallows the lump in his throat and shoots a pained smile at Lisanna. He knows she's right. He can't be mopey around his best friend, besides he asked her to come study not listen to some sad story about him and his supposed lover.

What happened between him and Lucy is something in the past, for now he has to focus on the present…and his persistent D in history.

"So uh, George Washington?" Natsu asks sheepishly, staring at the thousands of notes spread out before him.

Lisanna chuckles lightly and swats his arm.

"Yeah, because George Washington was a Chinese general."

**~X~**

"He saved me again Levy!" The blonde says, pacing around the coffee table of her and her roommates small dorm.

"Looks like you got yourself a hero." Levy smirks, flipping through the bulky history textbook laid out before her.

"A hero who I don't know the name of and I can't even thank! Ugh, he' so…so…" Lucy trails, pulling at her blonde locks in frustration.

"Charming? Sweet? Heroic?" Levy says innocently, but the mischievous glint in her eyes leaves Lucy rolling her chocolate eyes.

"I think annoying will do him justice." Lucy huffs and collapses on the couch. Running a hand down her face she mumbles something about stupid pink haired men.

"Oh come on Lu, I'm just teasing." Levy apologizes, spinning around in her swivel chair and facing her friend who is lying on the couch with her palms covering her face.

"I know, I just want to know who he is. For goodness's sake I just want to thank him." Lucy mutters.

Then a brilliant idea pops into the blonde's head and she shoots up from her lazy position and stands up with her finger pointed up.

"I know how to find him!" She exclaims, and the bookworm just looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

"How?" Levy asks, fixing her glasses and staring at her way too enthusiastic best friend.

"He was at that club you took me too and this Friday there's a huge event there or something. If we go he could be there!" Lucy says, nodding her head up and down acknowledging her own genius.

Blinking in surprise, Levy stares at her friend in shock.

Never in Levy's life has she thought that Lucy would be the won suggesting they ditch studying and go to a club. And Friday night was Lucy's day to do all of her weekend homework.

This pink haired man has been changing her best friend and she didn't even know who he was!

"You sure Lu?" Levy asks, eyeing her friend skeptically.

Lucy smiles happily and nods her head.

"Of course, I have to find him!" Lucy exclaims, and plops back down on the couch, grabbing her textbook and continues flipping through it with a smile on her face.

Levy giggles softly to herself.

She knows that somewhere deep down inside her best friend doesn't just want to find this pink haired mystery to thank him.

She sure is cute when she's falling in love.

**~X~**

Snapping his eyes open, Natsu's breaths come out in gasps as he clutches the bed sheets tightly. Fresh sweat trails down his clammy cheeks and his heart is pacing a mile a minute.

"It was just a dream." He mutters to himself, quiet enough not to wake his snoozing roommate.

It was early Friday morning, around 3 am, and he has just woken up from a haunting nightmare that won't leave him.

Shaking his head and standing from his bunk bed, the rosette shuts the bedroom door quietly behind him and with shaky legs, makes his way to the small kitchen.

The dream always began the same way.

They would be having an argument in his living room. She was throwing a tantrum, screaming, crying, and throwing useless punches. Her balance was always uneven, as if she was tipsy, and she held a beer bottle in her hand. And he'd always be confused, not sure as to what was going on, but mid way through their argument something would click and he'd start yelling as well.

He could never understand what they were saying, but it must have been awful because at one point her features would fall and her tears would pour out even harder than before.

Then she'd throw the bottle at the wall and it would shatter in a heartbeat, causing the contents of the remaining alcohol to drip down the wall.

And then in a blur, she was slamming the door in his face and stomping away from him.

The girl would slam her car door shut, and something would compel the rosette to rush out the door and follow her speedy car.

And by the time he finally reached her there were blaring sirens and a toppled over car, lying on its side with a passenger spilling from the driver's window.

Her tangled blonde hair was mixed with the red blood pouring from a gash in her forehead, her arms laying limp by her side, and her gorgeous chocolate eyes were closed shut.

But, before he woke up from this nightmare he'd always here her mutter something from under her breath. Her voice was laced with so much hurt and betrayal and it caused his heart to clench, his eyes to squeeze shut, and his breathing to stop.

"_Why didn't you stop me?" _

And then he'd wake up.

Natsu slams the cup down on the counter, the liquid splashing all over the counter. With raspy breaths and shut eyes, he leans against the counters and slowly sits down on the floor, his elbows propped up on his knees.

He buries his head in his palms, and chokes on his own sobs.

He could have stopped her, stopped her from getting into that car.

_It's all my fault._

**_~X~_**

**_AN: Please leave a review and thank you for reading!_**


	4. Chapter 4

Nervously brushing a loose lock of blonde hair behind her ear, Lucy looks around the club hoping to spy with her little eye a certain rose haired stranger.

But, the more she looks out into the large crowd of people, the more uncomfortable she feels, sitting at the bar with nothing in her hands and wearing a slick black dress that hugs her body in all the right places.

She sure feels good in it because well…she had a body, but it just doesn't _feel_ right.

"Maybe this was a bad idea…" Lucy mumbles to herself, staring down at her lap before a warm breath tickles her neck.

"I can be your good idea." A husky voice says, the smell of alcohol pooling from his lips.

Shivering, the blonde stiffens immediately and mentally curses herself for thinking this was a good idea.

Going to a bar wearing a slutty outfit?

_Of course it was a bad idea!_ She mentally scolds herself.

Stupid Levy and her persuasive nature!

Turning around she immediately freezes upon seeing that the stranger is someone she wishes she'd rather never see again.

"Like what you see?" He slurs, his blonde locks swaying across his face as he wobbles from foot to foot.

His shirt is unbuttoned, completely exposing his well-toned chest, and his lips are parted in a drunken smile.

Lucy gulps.

"Get away from me." Lucy hisses, hopping off the stool and backing away, her legs shaking slightly from fear.

It's the exact same guy that tried to rape her outside of this exact same club the last time the poor blonde was here.

_Why me, why me, why me?!_

He advances closer to her, and it's as if Lucy's legs are glued to the floor.

_No, move move move!_

"Com'ere." He slurs, tucking a loose string of hair behind her ear and sliding his filthy paws down her slender cheek.

Lucy, still frozen like a statue, only watches in horror as his lust filled eyes are mere centimeters from her fear stricken face.

"I'll make you mine." He purrs and his warm breath hits her lips, practically causing her to gag from the alcohol.

Snapping her eyes open and regaining her senses, Lucy shoves him back with the palm of her hand just before his lips crash onto hers and stomps on his foot with the heel of her 5 inch shoe.

"You little-" He fumes in anger, hopping around on his foot. He curses with each hop he makes, glaring angrily at Lucy.

Lucy wastes no time and grabs a filled martini glass placed on the counter of the bar and with a small thrust to her wrist, spills the contents all over the man. It drips down his face, the intoxicating liquid burning his eyes.

He lets out a pained scream.

"That'll show you!" Lucy proclaims, grabbing her bag and running off into the crowd.

_I have to find Levy and get out of here, before he decides to corner me again. _

Maneuvering through the crowd, much to Lucy's disadvantage was more difficult than she had thought. The blaring music was not helping her creeping headache either, and the sweaty bodies rubbing off on her made her feel weak in the knees.

Lucy was never good in crowded places.

And the wreaking stench of alcohol made her feel sick to her stomach, yet for some reason the whole scene almost felt…nostalgic. Why? She didn't know the answer herself.

"Lu over here!" Levy shouts, motioning for her to come over once she spots the lost blonde.

Levy, being the little scandalous girl she is, is dancing wildly surrounded by boys that Lucy recognizes from her class. They're all hollering, rubbing their sweaty bodies against each other and the whole scene is just…disgusting.

It's odd for Lucy to know the two sides of Levy. She's scared of the dark and so they always keep a nightlight on during the night, but yet she's able to grind with boys who she attends class with and not get embarrassed when she sees them the next morning.

It's weird, but a part of Lucy envies Levy.

Awkwardly smiling at the boys who don't look Lucy in eyes but shift their gaze downwards, she grabs Levy's wrist and pulls her out of there.

"Luuuuu you're ruining the fun!" She hiccups, and her cheeks are slightly red from the alcohol she's consumed.

"Levy, I'm going home. Catch a ride with someone sober okay?" Lucy says, speaking slowly in case she doesn't understand.

She pouts but nods her head.

"Good, oh and Gajeel was _totally_ checking you out." Lucy teases, and Levy whacks her on the shoulder turning a bright shade of red. Smiling hard she bids the blonde a goodbye and goes back to her little dancing circle.

Lucky Levy, always being the one with guts.

Sadly, Lucy was not that way at all. She'd rather be at home right now, in over sized pajamas, reading her calculus books and doing homework.

The party life just wasn't for her. Exiting the wild bar she calls a cab.

Disappointed that she wasn't able to meet the one guy she came here to look for, Lucy enters her favorite little coffee joint before heading to her dorm. Getting a steaming cup of hot cocoa will hopefully get the sulking blonde's mood up.

The little bell rings as she enters.

The sweet scent of sweet treats and coffee fills the blonde's nostrils and she hums lightly to herself, happy to be somewhere that doesn't smell like alcohol and body odor. The soft music playing in the café is nice too, and she sings quietly to herself as she looks over the menu.

"Costumer!" A voice yells from the back of the store, and the little doors swing open from behind the counter.

Lucy looks up as the employee makes his way to the register.

Her chocolate eyes widen.

"May I take your order?" He asks, a toothy grin shining on his handsome face.

"I-I," Lucy stammers, her chest feeling light as a wave of sudden happiness washes over her. That pink hair, she wouldn't miss that tangled pink hair anywhere.

"I…?" The man teases, raising an eyebrow at the stuttering blonde.

Lucy can't help but fight the smile from spreading across her face.

"I found you!"

She points a finger at him and he stares at her painted fingernail, eyes blinking.

"Uh, yeah you did." He agrees, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Lucy, realizing that her sudden outburst probably put them both in an awkward spot, composes her excitement and places an order for a medium cup of hot cocoa.

"Sweets at this hour?" The employee teases, turning around to prepare her order.

Puffing her cheeks out, Lucy folds her arms over her chest.

"I had a rough night." She admits.

She notices the man's ears perk up at this and his posture stiffen, as his back is facing her and he's pouring the cocoa into the paper cup.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asks hestitanly, turning around to face her and placing the cup on the counter.

The blonde's eyes widen at his words. No one really bothered to hear her out before, well besides Levy but she only cared about the nitty gritty details of gossip. Lucy always had a difficult time opening up to people…well ever since that day.

But, with this man's warm eyes concentrated only on her, and the coziness of the empty coffee shop Lucy nods her head and decides to give in to his suggestion.

"Okay." She responds softly, handing him the money and grabbing her drink.

Taking the cup into her hands, it warms her palms and soon enough her lips when she takes a sip.

"Let's go sit down, I don't think I'll be getting anymore costumers for the night." The man chuckles, taking of the light brown apron and hanging in on rack as he comes out from behind the counter and sits himself at one of the comfy booths.

Lucy follows him, and slides into the seat across from the rosette. Still eyeing the coffee and feeling embarrassed to begin, they both sit in silence.

"That same guy from a few nights ago…he tried to…" Lucy trails, fidgeting with her words as her throat begins to feel constricted.

_Gosh, why am I even telling this guy this?_

She mentally scolds herself, expecting him to be annoyed that she's once again reckless and getting herself into terrible situations.

But, the reaction she gets from him is unexpected when she lifts her eyes from her cup to his face.

He looks pissed.

His jaw is tight; teeth gritted, and clenched fists.

"Stay away from that bar." He says calmly, but the rage behind his voice causes a shiver to run down the blonde's spine.

"That's the plan." She says lightly, chuckling a bit to ease the tension. But, he doesn't seem to think of it as a light topic.

"Gosh Lucy you have to be more careful, what if you'd seriously gotten raped this time?" He asks, concern pooling in his eyes.

Lucy stares at him in shock.

_Why does he care so much?_

"I-I wouldn't have gotten raped! I was with my friends." She defends herself, feeling slightly offended that he has such a lack of faith in her. Wait, why does she even care about what he thinks of her?

Of course she would be fine! Levy was with her, and she managed to stomp her foot on the guy's toes and dump a martini on him.

It was pretty epic she must admit.

"Levy? She was probably off dancing with Gajeel." He retorts, mumbling it under his breath, but Lucy stares at him even more shocked.

"How do you know I was with Levy?" Lucy asks, starting to feel uncomfortable that this stranger knows so much about her.

He blinks a few times as if he's surprised that she would ask such a thing, but then something dawns on him and he shakes his head.

"Gray mentioned her and Gajeel sometimes. I'm friends with him." He says, but Lucy notices the small twitch in his left eye.

He's either lying or has a lazy eye.

Lucy sips on her cocoa, the warm and sweet beverage immediately making her feel better.

"Wait a minute!" Lucy suddenly says, placing down her beverage with a thud and staring intently at the man resting his cheek on his palm.

He stares back, blinking his eyes in confusion as he anticipates her next sentence.

"What's even your name?!"

And she gets a good hearty laugh out of him.

"You trust people to easily." He chuckles, covering his mouth with his palm as his cheeks become a bright red from laughter.

Lucy can't help but notice how ridiculously adorable he looks, laughing with red dusted on his cheeks.

"Natsu," He says, calming down from his fit of laughter. "Natsu Dragneel."

And he shoots the blonde a toothy smile, which causes her to smile back shyly, feeling her cheeks grow hot from her previous thoughts.

"Lucy Heartphilia." She states, before yet another thing dawns on her.

"But wait, you already knew my name. How so?" She asks, narrowing her eyes at him as if she's interrogating Natsu.

Natsu rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"You're the smartest girl on campus, how could I _not_ know your name." He says, and for some strange reason the fact that he knew her name because of her stellar grades causes Lucy's smile to falter slightly.

_So, he doesn't know me because he secretly has a crush on me and tried to find out who I am- wait what?! Bad thoughts Lucy! Of course that wouldn't happen, it only happens in movies…duh._

"Besides, I've seen you around a few times, and it's hard to forget such a cute face like yours." He admits, pink dusting his cheeks for the second time that night.

And Lucy blushes, turning the same color of Natsu's hair. Trying to hide the smile daring to creep up on her face, she takes a sip of her cocoa.

Then a small little cuckoo noise causes both of them to stare at the large clock hanging on the wall near the counters.

Midnight on the dot.

"Midnight already?" Natsu mutters to himself, returning his gaze back on the blonde beauty seated before him.

"Well," She begins, gathering her things and getting up from the booth,"I better get going, it's getting late." She says, smiling down softly.

Natsu gets up as well and follows her until she's at the door, depositing her cup in the waste bin.

"Thank you for the cocoa." She says, the smile never leaving her face.

_How much I've missed that smile._ Natsu thinks, staring at Lucy with a smile of his own.

"Sure, I'll see you around?" He asks, a blush creeping on his face.

Lucy giggles.

"Maybe I'll fall again and you can catch me, since I see that's how we happen to meet." She says, and we both laugh.

"Okay, well take care Lucy." Natsu bids her goodnight, opening the door as she walks off waving.

"Oh and Natsu?" She pipes up, just before he closes the door.

"Hm?"

"I know you'll always be there to catch me."

And with that she's out of sight.

"Always, Lucy." Natsu confesses, his breath coming out as a puff of white before he closes the doors to the coffee shop.

Little did he know his voice seemed to carry on the wind and Lucy heard every last word.

_Mabye I should fall more often?_

She thinks smiling like idiot.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I really enjoyed Lucy owning the blonde dude in this chapter. :D His identity will be revealed in the next chapter, but i'm pretty sure you all already know who he is. XD Also, sorry if Natsu and Lucy's conversation is a bit akward but I found it to be sweet. Well, this chapter is a bit more lengthy and has a nalu interaction so I hope you all enjoy it.<strong>

**Please leave a review! I love reading through them, all of your support means the world to me. Thank you! :DD**

**Until next chapter, toodles~**


	5. Chapter 5

**~X~**

The week flies by for Lucy, and soon enough she realizes that it's the weekend…and the Saturday she's supposed to call her parents to "check in" with them as they like to call it.

Opening her laptop, and wrapping herself up in a cozy blanket on her bed, Lucy clicks the button to answer her parent's skype call.

It's a good thing Levy is out with Gajeel today, turns out their relationship has escalated since the night she came home at twelve in the afternoon after Friday's event.

Let's just say she was completely hangover and covered in bite marks.

Let your imagination run wild from there.

"Lucy?" Her mother's voice calls out from the computer and Lucy smiles.

"Hi mom!" She chirps happily, staring at the screen to see her mother and father both smiling happily as they try to fit both of their faces on the screen.

"Move it Jude, I want to see her." Her mother argues, elbowing her father in the stomach. He pretends to feel intense pain and falls dramatically.

Lucy laughs, missing her parent's crazy antics.

"So honey, tell us about college. How has everything been?" She asks eagerly, and Lucy tries to find the right words to say.

"Good, grades haven't been a problem I'm still the top of my class."

"That's my girl." Jude says proudly, coming back into view from his previous position on the floor.

Layla scoots over on the chair, where he takes a seat and smiles at his daughter.

They talk for about half an hour, and midway through their conversation her father takes a leave for work, bidding his daughter goodbye and to call soon. Lucy agrees and waves as her walks father is out of view.

Once he's gone, Layla comes closer to the screen, a mischievous look in her eyes.

"So who is he?" Layla asks her daughter, smiling devilishly.

"Ehh?" Lucy squeaks, taken a back by her mother's words.

"Oh come on Lucy, you have to be seeing somebody." Her mother presses, but Lucy only feels her cheeks growing hot and the conversation taking a turn for the worst.

"W-what would m-make you t-think that?!" Lucy sputters, clearly embarrassed.

Layla laughs sweetly.

"Hmm, is it Gray?"

Her mother names off random guy names, and Lucy shakes her head each time before finally giving in.

"His name's Natsu, we met at a-"

"Natsu?" Lucy's mother cuts her off, and Lucy notices that her mother's brows are furrowed.

"Yeah, anyways so we-"

"Lucy." Her mother cuts her off again, giving Lucy a hard stare.

The blonde tilts her head in confusion at her mother's harsh tone.

"What's wrong Mama?" She asks, startled by the sudden change of mood.

Her mother clears her throat before continuing.

"Stay away from that boy dear." She says, and Lucy's mouth hangs open.

"W-Why?" She asks, confused and slightly shocked by her mother's odd behavior.

"Just do it Lucy, I don't want you getting hurt…again." She mumbles the last part, but Lucy picks up on it.

"What do you mean? What are you not telling me mama?" Lucy asks her mother, feeling deeply confused and slightly afraid as to why she should be staying away from Natsu.

From what she knows, Natsu is a sweetheart, who seems to be very caring.

Why is her mother acting so strangely?

"Oh dear, it's nothing you should be concerned about. Just stay away from him, it's for the better." Her mother states, a smile spreading across her lips.

"I don't understand…" Lucy trails; feeling slightly betrayed that her own mother won't give her a valid reason as to why she shouldn't be seeing Natsu.

It's not like they're dating…but the few times she's talked to him she's actually enjoyed herself…and a piece of herself actually felt like home.

Strange huh?

"Mama, how do you even know Natsu?" Lucy asks, realizing that she never once talked about him before to her parents.

At this Layla is slightly taken aback, but regains her cool and smiles towards her daughter.

"Oh my, Lucy I have to get going something's come up!" She says, picking up her phone and putting it to her ear, obviously avoiding the question.

"I will speak with you later love, take care!" She bids goodbye and the skype call clicks off, leaving Lucy staring at her blanks screen in shock.

What did Natsu do that made her parents hate him so much?

Was it something he did before she…

Before she lost her memory?

Slumping down on her bed, her head hits her fluffy pillow and Lucy lets out a sigh.

It was a car accident two years ago that completely changed Lucy's life, although she never knew what her life was like before the accident, who she was. She was living a new identity, as a new Lucy.

And sometimes she wished that her memories would come back, that'd she'd remember why she even got in the crash in the first place.

If Natsu was part of her past life, he was either hiding it or he just simply wasn't a part of it at all.

_Just who is Lucy Heartphilia?_

The blonde thinks before rubbing her temples and letting out a long and much needed scream into her fluffy pink pillow.

**~X~**

Flipping through the pages of his notebook, Natsu finally gives up throwing his head down on his desk and letting out a groan.

After his little conversation with Lucy at the café, he can't seem to get her off his mind…not like he ever could anyways but now it's just ten times stronger.

"Yo flame brain, you better study you're almost at a D in calculus." His roommate, Gray also known as the Ice Princess, says reading over some notes of his own.

"Shut up Ice Princess." I argue weakly, my words being muffled into the textbook I'm laying on.

Gray sighs.

"What's got you so down Natsu? Did something happen?" He asks, genuine concern in his voice.

Natsu stiffens at his words and the words he says come out, feeling like knives to his heart.

"I talked to Lucy."

And the words just hang there.

Gray drops his notebook and it lands on his desk with a thud.

"YOU WHAT?!" Gray erupts, shoving his chair back and staring at Natsu with fear stricken eyes.

Natsu only groans louder, burying his head into his textbook further.

"You heard me." He says softly, feeling his mind whirling a mile a minute.

"Natsu, shoot you're not supposed to be talking to her." He says, running a hand down his face and resting them on his hips as his eyes scan the room frantically, trying to find the right words to say.

It's true what Gray is saying. Natsu was specifically told by Lucy's parents the night of the accident to never involve himself in her life ever again.

They were mad, and they had every right to be, because he had caused their daughter's memory loss. It was his fault she was at his house that night, it was his fault that he let her step in that car that he let her drive off.

It was all his fault, and he could never fix his mistake.

Natsu raises his head from the book and looks at Gray with glassy charcoal eyes.

"I've avoided her for two years, two frickin years Gray. I can't go on like this forever, talking to her was bound to happen." He states, his voice weak and on the verge of breaking.

"I know, and it must have been really difficult but Natsu you have to stay away from her, remember-"

"I remember." Natsu cuts in, his voice a harsh whisper and he trembles, his shoulder shaking and throat completely closing up.

He doesn't want to remember; he's tried to so hard to _forget._

To forget her face, her smile, her beauty.

He's tried so hard to forget _her._

But each night, right when he closes his eyes to fall asleep he sees her.

He sees her hanging out of that car window, lying limp and practically lifeless on a random road with blood pooling around her.

And it's been haunting him the moment he saw her, two years ago on that road.

Cradling his head in his palms, Natsu lets out a long breath and composes himself.

He is _not_ going to cry in front of Gray.

"You still love her don't you?" Gray asks softly, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring intently at Natsu who lifts his head to meet Gray's eyes.

"Not a moment goes by that I don't." He confesses, smiling sadly as he realizes he can never truly be with her again, because if he is, it means that he'll just end up hurting her.

And that's a mistake he'll never make again.

Gray lets out a breath and pats Natsu gently on the shoulder before retreating back to his own desk to study.

"_Why didn't you stop me?" _

Her voice echoes in my ears, the last words she's ever spoken to me, and I bury my head in my textbook, the tears threatening to fall.

_I don't know Lucy, I ask myself the same question everyday._

And a single tear stains the textbook.

**~X~**

"Class dismissed, don't forget your papers are due by the end of the week." The teacher says, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

The students all begin filing out.

"Lucy, are you coming over to my dorm tonight?" A scarlet haired beauty says putting her books away in her bag and smiling.

"Of course Erza, Levy will be there too right?" Lucy asks, hoping that she won't be left alone.

As much as she loves Erza, she does not want to be stuck in a room with her all alone. Who knows what crazy things Erza will make her do…this one time…

Just thinking about it makes the blonde shiver.

Erza rolls her eyes.

"Of course, you two are practically tied to the hip so I can't see her not coming." Erza says, laughing and slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Okay, well see you Erza!" Lucy says happily, waving goodbye to her friend.

What Erza said was true. Lucy and Levy had been best friends from the moment they met as dorm mates. And Lucy couldn't be more grateful.

Still putting her books in her bag, Lucy doesn't notice when someone stalks over and sits down on the desk in front of her, well not until he clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth and grabs her attention.

But, when the blonde looks up she really wishes she hadn't.

"What are you doing here?" She hisses, holding up one of her textbooks in defense.

"Visiting a smoking hot blonde." He purrs, a wild smirk forming on his lips.

Lucy shudders.

"You almost raped me, so I'd get your sorry butt out of here before I report you to the police." Lucy threatens, feeling her knees shake slightly as she realizes that she's in the room alone, with a pervert.

"Oh come on Lucy, you really don't remember me?" He pouts, looking at her intently with his blue eyes.

Lucy gulps.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asks hesitantly, still holding the book in an attack like position.

A sad smile plays on his lips.

"So it's true." He mutters to himself and gets up from the desk.

Lucy eyes him closely as he just stands there staring at her with a sad expression written across his face.

"The name's Sting Eucliffe. I'm sorry for assaulting you; I was probably drunk out of my mind, my friend told me about what I did and I felt awful." He apologizes, and his voice is sincere much to Lucy's surprise.

Lucy gapes at him, and slowly drops the book and places it in her bag.

"It's not entirely okay, but please just stay away from me." She states, trying to make her voice sound strong.

Sting chuckles softly and before the blonde can do anything he plants a small kiss on her cheek.

"Goodbye Lucy."

And with that he leaves the room, leaving Lucy with widened eyes and her finger gently stroking the cheek that he had kissed.

How did he know her name?

First it was Natsu and now Sting…just who are these people?

_Could it be…people from my…past?_

And with that Lucy grabs her things and heads out of the room, shaking her head and laughing lightly to herself.

_No, that can't be it. _

xXx

Sitting criss cross applesauce in her sleeping bag, while munching on some popcorn, Lucy listens to all of the gossip her two friends have to offer.

"And I guess we were both drunk, and I woke up the next morning in his bed…" Levy says, her cheeks flaring up as she speaks.

"Did he force you Levy? I swear if he did I'll make sure he can't walk for a week." Erza says, rolling up her sleeve and a dark aura emitting off of her.

Levy flails her arms in the air.

"N-No Erza he didn't force me, it was a mutual decision." Levy says, trying to defend her lover from being killed by the Titania.

"What about you Erza, how's Jellal?" Levy presses, a sly smirk forming on her lips as the Erza's face turns the color of her hair.

"W-well w-we've gone o-on a c-couple of d-daes." She confesses, fiddling with her fingers as she stares down at her bowl of popcorn.

Levy smiles brightly, a twinkle forming in her eyes before hugging Erza tightly.

"That's awesome Erza-chan! Jellal seems like a great guy and he is the student body president so you to could totally do it on the big desk and-"

"Levy, you might want to stop before Erza explodes." Lucy cuts in, laughing as she notices Erza's face turning a darker shade of red.

"W-we aren't like t-that yet w-we're taking t-thing slow." The scarlet haired beauty says, pushing Levy off gently and cooling her cheeks with her palms.

The two girls laugh at how easily embarrassed the all mighty vice president can be when talking about her lover.

"So, Lu-chan, what about you? How are you and your mysterious hero?" Levy asks, causing Lucy to spit out her popcorn at the mention of Natsu.

"What, Lucy has a love life?" Erza asks, surprise written all over her face.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Lucy asks, slumping her shoulders dramatically.

Her two friends don't answer.

Lucy sighs.

"Well his name's Natsu for starters, and he actually seems like a pretty decent guy…though there is one problem." Lucy states, and watches as her friends hang onto her every word.

Unsure of how to go about this since she hasn't told her friends about her complicated past, Lucy begins to feel uncomfortable.

Should she tell them? Will they think of her differently?

"What's wrong Lucy?" Erza asks, noticing the blonde's frustrated expression.

"It's just that…I think Natsu may be someone that from my past life." Lucy confesses, earning a confused look from both of her friends.

"Past life?" Levy pipes in, eyeing the blonde curiously.

"Y-Yeah well you see, about two years ago I got into a really bad car accident one night coming home, and when I woke up I had severe amnesia…and to this day I don't remember anything before that day." Lucy admits, feeling her insides churning.

She's never told anyone about her past before, and now spilling it out she's not sure how her two friends are going to take the news.

"Oh Lu-chan!" Levy says, throwing her arms over my neck and pulling me into a bone-crushing hug only to be followed by Erza doing the exact same thing.

The feeling of warmth spreads across Lucy's chest as she realizes that her friends would never think of her wrongly, these two are the only real friends she's ever had, well before her memory loss.

"We'll help you figure things out." Erza says, pulling away and smiling at the blonde.

Levy pulls away as well, nodding her head in agreement.

Feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes, Lucy smiles back.

And then she decides to tell them about Sting and how he might be involved with her past as well, and while she's talking, the whole time Erza has smoke coming out of her ears and a beastly look on her face.

After finishing the story on Sting, Erza shoots up from her spot on the floor and marches out the door, grabbing a spatula on the way.

"He'll make sure to forget about any past with you Lucy, once I'm done with him." Erza snarls before slamming the door shut and storming off.

Levy and Lucy both giggle, knowing that Sting is going to have one hell of a night.

"Do you think he stands a chance?" Levy asks her friend, a smile on her lips.

Lucy's smile only widens.

"Not one bit."

**~X~**

**AN: Two chapters in one day?! :O Well i'm on an inspirational role so here's my little treat for all of you wonderful readers. (; I know this chapter has no nalu interaction but it does give you a hint into Natsu and Lucy's past. And yes I made Sting apologize because I find it wicked cliche when people make him the bad guy in EVERY fanfic I've read that's nalu. (Well not every but you get what I mean) So, I made him be nice and apologize, but it still gets Lucy questioning herself and her past and why Sting would be a part of it. Which will be revealed later.**

**Drama will be happening next chapter I think? (yeah probably)**

**Until next chapter, toodles~**


	6. Chapter 6

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Groaning and pulling the covers over her head, Lucy lets out a groan of displeasure. Curling up into a ball she refuses to get out of the warmth of her sheets.

It's winter time now, meaning that the dorm's have gotten colder, and Lucy has gone out to by more warm blankets which feel far too cozy in the morning and way more temping then getting out of their hold and stepping out into the chilling air of the dorm.

"LUUUU~" Her blunette roommate shouts from the kitchen, and Lucy listens to the familiar ding of the toaster going off.

Lucy groans in reply.

"Get up Lu, you're going to be late for the exams!" Levy says before grabbing her toast and exiting the dorm.

_Exam?_

The blonde's eyes fling open as she kicks off her sheets frantically and jumps out of bed, only to get her foot stuck in the wrappings of her bed sheets and falling helplessly to the floor.

"Owww." She groans, rubbing her behind and forcing her tired legs to stand.

Throwing off the sheet and rubbing her face, she scurries into the bathroom to get washed up.

"KYAAAA!"

And she trips yet again on the wet bathroom floor.

Today is just not her day.

xXx

The campus is lightly blanketed with a thin layer of snow from the morning's small shower. And walking around with nothing on but her little sweater is making Lucy's fingers turn numb, and her whole body to shiver from the cold.

"Lucy, are you alright?" Her redheaded friend asks, concern lacing her voice as she walks with a skip in her step next to Lucy.

Lucy rubs her temples and nods.

"I'm fine, it's just been a rough morning and I'm f-freezing." Lucy admits, rubbing her icy palms up and down her arms to get some blood circulating.

Erza scowls at Lucy.

"You should dress warmer, it's mid December." Erza scolds.

"I know, I was in a rush, but I'm f-fine."

Sighing, Erza rubs her temples.

"My class is in this building, hey after class let's go grab some warm hot chocolate? It'll help with your freezing issue." Erza teases, and Lucy nods happily as the thought of warm hot chocolate crosses her mind.

Bidding Erza goodbye with a smile on her face, Lucy turns around only to bump her nose into somebody's chest.

"Eeep!" The blonde squeaks, backing away instantly.

"Lucy?" A voice says, and the blonde looks up to see a familiar face.

"N-Natsu, what are you doing here?" Lucy asks curiously, staring at the steaming cup in his hand with starry eyes.

"I go to school here?" Natsu says, chuckling slightly as he notices Lucy eyeing his cup.

"Cold?" He asks her, and she nods her head furiously.

Sighing, the rosette comes up to her and places the cup in her freezing palm.

"R-Really?" Lucy asks already feeling the warmth of the cup thawing her palm.

"Yeah, take a sip." Natsu says, smiling at her with a mischievous look Lucy doesn't see because the minute he allows her to take a sip she does so.

The warm liquid immediately feels like heaven against her chilled lips, but the bitter taste causes Lucy to remove the cup from her lips and stare at it with utter distaste.

"It's coffee…" She says, disappointment crossing her features and she pouts, sticking her lip out.

Natsu laughs at her childish pout, and Lucy looks up at him with an annoyed glare.

"Don't give me that hard stare, you were eyeing it as if it was a million bucks." He chuckles, causing Lucy's cheeks to flush red.

"W-Whatever I'm going to be late for class." She mutters in embarrassment, handing the cup back to the pinkette and spinning on her heel to her class.

Lucy takes two steps before warmth is wrapped around her neck, and her chocolate eyes widen.

"This'll keep you warm." Natsu says against the blonde's ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine. The warmth of his breath against her neck immediately warms the blonde, and her cheeks flush at how close both of them are.

"See you around Luce."

And with that he runs off, leaving Lucy with widened eyes, staring at his back as he disappears into the building.

Brushing her fingers against the white, and slightly worn down, scarf she buries her nose into it and inhales.

The scent of strong spices and a wooden stove causes Lucy's insides to flip flop and her heart to race.

_Why is this scent so familiar?_

xXx

"Sooo," Levy begins, staring at Lucy with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Taking a seat in the booth across from her two friends, Lucy takes a sip of her warm hot chocolate and fixes the scarf so that it hugs her neck better.

The girls decided to go grab some hot drinks after class just like Erza promised.

"Hm?" Lucy looks up from her cup to notice her two friends eyeing her with suspicion.

"I-Is there cocoa on my face?" She asks, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Her friend's cheeks turn bright red before bursting into a fit of giggles. The confused blonde only tilts her head in confusion and stares at her friends.

"You're so oblivious!" Levy says in between giggles, before composing herself and wiping a tear from her eye.

"Your scarf Lucy, isn't that Natsu's?" Erza asks, pointing to the cloth wrapped around the blonde's neck.

As if on cue, Lucy reaches her hand up to touch it.

"I didn't even realize I was still wearing it!" Lucy says, eyes widening as she stares down at it.

"So, how are you and Natsu? You haven't talked about him since your last encounter about a month ago." Levy asks, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Well, I just haven't seen him in awhile…school and stuff you know?" Lucy shrugs.

Actually the blonde has noticed that every time she tries to get near Natsu, her parent's words ring in her ear and she can't help but feel that talking to him would be going behind her parent's backs. And Lucy loves her mom and dad, betraying them would only bring them and her sadness.

And she's already brought them enough of that to last a lifetime.

"Oh come on Lu, we both see the way you're cheeks heat up when you talk about him and you get all nervous. You totally like him!" Levy says, smiling slyly as Lucy's face heats up.

"I-I do not!" She protests, cursing her cheeks for turning red.

"Then why did you take his scarf?" Erza asks calmly.

"Because he just wrapped it around my neck and left." Lucy defends herself, feeling like curling up into a ball and hiding out from her friend's accusations.

"That means he cares for you, and caring leads to love." Levy points out and receives a nod of approval from Erza.

"I don't like him like that!" Lucy protests, sinking in her seat and burying her flaming cheeks into her hands.

Perhaps she did fancy Natsu…just a little bit. But, she wasn't going to admit that in front of her friends. For all she knows they'll make a big deal out of it and she'll never hear the end of it.

And the haunting thought that Natsu is a part of her past is something the blonde can't shake off.

It can't be by mere coincidence that her parents want her to stay away from him and the fact that he somehow knew her name when they've never met before.

Too lost in her thought the blonde doesn't realize that she's been repeatedly wrapping and unwrapping her fingers around the white scarf.

"She sure does love that thing." Levy whispers to Erza, a devilish glint in her eyes.

"I heard that!" Lucy accuses, tossing a napkin at Levy who only laughs in response.

And they spend the rest of the afternoon, studying and chatting in the small café.

Not once does Lucy make a move to take off the scarf.

Because for some reason it's like a piece of her past is with her.

And little does she know,

It is.

xXx

A living room, located in the mansion of a certain blonde little girl, is beautifully dressed in birthday attire. Colorful streamers hang lazily and wrap around the ceiling, balloons are tied to chairs, and presents litter the coffee table.

A little girl, no older than 7 years old, sits on the couch eagerly swinging her little legs back and forth. Her friends sit beside her, all chattering about random things she doesn't bother listening to, instead she stares intently at the front door awaiting the birthday boy.

The front door to her home opens, revealing a bulky man and his child with hard to miss bright pink hair.

"Surprise Natsu!" A blonde squeals happily, jumping off the couch and running into the arms of a little boy no older than the age of 7. The other kids run after her, all happily cheering happy birthday as they throw streamers and begin singing.

"Ack-!" The boy shouts out, feeling little arms wrap around his neck and strangle him.

Both of the kids topple over each other and land on the floor with a thud.

Opening his eyes, Natsu stares into chocolate orbs and notices that Lucy is right on top of him. Feeling his cheeks go red as her lips spread into a toothy grin and her eyes become two small happy crescents.

"Lucy, manners!" Her mother scolds her daughter, causing the blonde to roll her eyes playfully before rolling off of Natsu.

"It's not like I have cooties." Lucy pouts, folding her arms over her chest and sneaking a small grin at Natsu.

Natsu returns the small smile, feeling his cheeks turning warm.

"Come on Natsu you have to open your gifts!" His raven-haired friend says, taking Natsu's arm and practically dragging him over to the living room.

"You don't have to drag me Ice Princess." Natsu teases, and Gray immediately lets go of his arm and bashes his head against his.

"You wanna go flamebrain?"

"Bring it!"

And they begin fighting, rolling on top of each other and throwing pillows.

Soon enough everyone else joins in, picking sides and giggling. The crowd of kids all enjoy themselves, that is until Erza practically tickles poor Gray and Natsu to death threatening them that if they pick another fight she'll tie them to the ceiling with a streamer and leave them there for the rest of the day.

Everyone present knew she wasn't kidding, but the parents just laughed it off enjoying how cute it is that Erza can scare the boys.

After cake and present opening there was still one thing little Lucy wanted to do.

"Psst Natsu," Lucy whispers in his ear as they are all seated watching a kids show.

"What?" He responds, turning his head around to give her his full attention.

"Follow me." She says, grabbing his hand and sneaking out of the living room.

"Where are we going?" Natsu asks, as she leads him up the stairs and into her overly pink room.

"I have something to give you." Lucy says, plopping down on her bed and reaching under her pillow.

Natsu follows, hopping up on the bed and taking a seat as he watches the blonde grab a fairly large box from under the pillow and hand it to him.

Giving him a warm smile and a nod, Lucy places it in his hands.

Natsu, being Natsu, wastes no time in ripping away the nicely wrapped paper and opening the box.

Staring the box, his eyes widen at what's inside.

"Do you like it?" Lucy asks hesitantly, not sure if the reaction she's getting from him is a good one or a bad one.

"Is this my dad's, like my actual dad's, scarf?" Natsu asks Lucy, picking up the white scarf and marveling at it.

Lucy nods.

"Yeah, I had one of the maids fix it up." She says happily, a smile spreading across her lips.

Still staring at it in shock, Natsu inhales the scent and realizes that it really is his father's scarf. He thought he lost this thing years ago…and Lucy somehow managed to find it.

That just made him love her even more.

"Stop staring at it and put it on already." Lucy pouts, reaching over and taking the scarf from him.

"H-Hey!"

"Oh shush, I'm not stealing it silly." She teases, and wraps the scarf around Natsu's neck.

Making sure that it looks perfect, Lucy lets go of the scarf and looks at Natsu.

"Well, how do I look?" He asks her, noticing that she's been staring for a while and it's making him feel uncomfortable.

"Like your dad." She says softly.

Natsu's eyes widen, and his lips break out into a toothy grin.

"Thanks Lucy, this is the best gift I've ever gotten."

Lucy smiles and her cheeks turn a slight shade of rosy pink.

"It's nothing." She says shyly before planting a small kiss on his cheek.

Pulling back and realizing what she had done, the blonde's blush turns even darker and she clamps both of her palms on her cheeks.

"Uh, I'm going to go back downstairs." Lucy says in a rush, and runs off giggling to herself.

Natsu just sits there, eyes widened and mouth slightly hung open.

Rubbing the spot where she had kissed a smile spreads across his lips.

_I'm definitely in love with her._

xXx

Snapping her eyes open, Lucy sits up and breathes heavily.

_What kind of dream was that?_

Lucy thinks as she rubs her temples, and wipes the fresh sweat off of her forehead.

To the blonde it almost felt real…nothing like a dream. Thinking about it, could her memory be coming back?

And that boy, that was definitely Natsu…did she know him when they were kids?

Feeling herself turning dizzy from all of the freaky assumptions, Lucy lies back down and without thinking reaches for her neck, grabbing the scarf Natsu had given her.

_I'm still wearing this?!_

The blonde mentally screams, eyes widening as she realizes that this is the scarf she had given child Natsu in her dream.

_Could it be…that this is why it the scent was so familiar? Did I really give this to Natsu when we were kids?_

Trying to come up with an answer, after lying in her bed and contemplating thousands of assumptions Lucy finally gives up, letting out a breath and burying her head in her pillow.

_I'll figure it out in the morning._

She decides before drifting off to sleep, her face buried comfortably in the scarf.

_Smells like strong spices and a wooden stove…_

_Smells like Natsu._

_xXx_

**_AN: I hope you guys like this chapter, I liked writing the flashback so I hope you all enjoy reading it! Not too happy with this chapter, but the next one will be more eventful._**

**_Please leave a review, they keep me motivated and I appreciate feedback._**

**_Thank you so much for all the support, I'm glad to see so many people enjoying the story._**

**_Until next chapter, toodles~_**


	7. Chapter 7

All week she hadn't bumped into him, and it was beginning to drive the blonde nuts.

And now it was winter break and Lucy was packing up her things to return home for the holidays. The holiday season always managed to bring the blonde in a good mood, was it the holiday lights? The cheery smiles? The overpowering scent of cookies that seemed to wash one away when entering a store?

She couldn't really tell you herself, but she sure as hell knew it made her one happy camper.

"I'm going to miss you Lu-chan." Levy says, throwing her arms over her friend's shoulders as she creeps up from behind.

And then there was the sad part, separating from her best friend.

Smiling at Levy's friendly gesture, Lucy turns around and places both hands on the blunette's little shoulders.

"It's only a few weeks Levy, we'll call and text frequently I promise." Lucy promises, holding out her pinky which Levy takes eagerly and they both nod making an agreement.

Feeling tears prick her eyes, Lucy turns around and zips up her suitcase. Giving her best friend one last hug, she exits the door and heads for the train station.

_Time to go home._

xXx

Arriving at the way too busy station, Lucy felt slightly overwhelmed at the amount of people. People were spilling out of trains, hopping onto trains, buying passes, hugging, kissing; someone was even handing out cookies!

Completely frazzled by the amount of people and her brain slightly fogged from the claustrophobia, she accidentally bumps into someone and almost trips over her own two feet until a hand catches her shoulder.

"You alright?" A familiar voice asks, causing Lucy to snap out it.

Looking up into piercing onyx eyes, Lucy's breath catches in her throat.

"Natsu?" She whispers, totally shocked that she's seeing him here.

But, then again why wouldn't she? Everyone was going home for the holidays.

_It's just he always manages to make my heart flutter…and I don't know why!_

Lucy inwardly thinks, moving away from Natsu and standing up straight, ironing out the crumpled fabric on her shoulder, the cause of Natsu's tight hold.

A playful smirk spreads on Natsu's lips.

"I see you've taken a liking to my scarf." He points out, taking the material into his hands and playfully throwing it around her head.

Flustered and turning a small shade of peachy pink, Lucy squeals and removes the scarf from her head, afraid that her hair will become a frazzled mess. All girls know how frizzy dry hair can be in the wintertime, Lucy knew from experience.

"I was going to give it back, but I didn't see you all week." She huffs, folding her arms over her chest and staring at the rosette, the scarf slowly sliding down her face.

Laughing at her absolutely adorable pout, Natsu fixes the scarf and tucks it snuggly around her neck.

Shocked by the fiery touch of his fingers against her neck, Lucy feels her body jitter with excitement and the butterflies in her stomach take full flight, spreading their wings and causing her to practically tremble.

_Gosh, get it together Lucy! What is wrong with you?_

She mentally curses herself for acting in such a strange way.

Clearing her throat after Natsu's fingers leave her neck and his scarf is wrapped tightly around her fragile neck, Lucy takes a deep and much needed calming breath.

"You don't want it back?" She asks, quirking a brow.

"'Course I do." He states, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Lucy's about to question why he hasn't asked for it back when he walks over and spins her around, leading her through the busy crowd of people.

The feeling of his arm around her shoulder and their sides touching causes Lucy's cheeks to flare up and her mind to turn fuzzy.

"So, Lucy, tell me which train has the privilege of taking you home?" He asks all gentlemanly like, leading her to a clearing, away from all the madness.

Not trusting her voice, Lucy points a shaky finger in the direction of her train.

Just why is he making her feel this way? And, if he's really from her past why is he acting as if none of it matters? Why hasn't he mentioned it before?

Conflicted with her feelings for him, Lucy doesn't even notice they've made it to her train until he's seated her at a bench and unwrapped his unnaturally warm arm from her shoulder.

"And now we wait." He smiles at her, crossing a leg over the other and leaning against the wooden bench. He taps his leg, it bounces up and down showing his impatience.

"We're on the same train? You live in Magnolia?" She asks, surprise lacing her voice as she stares with wide eyes at the rosette.

Natsu gives her a look that scream "duh" but shakes off the look he swore Lucy must have missed, which of course she didn't, before clearing his throat and putting on a completely surprised façade.

"I guess so, wow I had no idea you lived in Magnolia." He says, and Lucy notices the nervous flare to his usually confident voice.

_He's hiding something._

Lucy opens her mouth to question him, finding it the perfect moment to confirm if he's really from her past or she's just hallucinating realistic past dreams.

But, when her voice is about to escape her lips Natsu shoots up from his position on the bench startling her.

"I'm gonna go grab a coffee, you want anything?" He asks, plastering that toothy grin on his handsome features.

Lucy's heartbeat quickens as he smiles at her.

"Uh, no I'm okay, thank you." Lucy says politely, and watches him run off to buy his beverage.

After his departure, Lucy collapses on the bench, running a hand down her face.

_Why did he escape? He was definitely hiding something…and why does my heart feel like it's going to burst out of my ribcage? He's just some guy I know nothing about!_

_But…why does it feel like I've known him my whole life…the way he treats me…it's like he knows something more._

Kicking her legs out and slumping on the bench Lucy lets out an irritated groan.

_He better hurry up._

xXx

"What do you mean she's onto you?"

Natsu groans, tapping his foot furiously as he waits in line.

"I mean, she gave me one of her famous 'I know you're hiding something' looks. Gray I'm at the station on my way to Magnolia with her, if she finds out we're neighbors she'll have questions." Natsu explains, feeling the panic slowly settling in.

Gray curses on the other line, and Natsu can imagine him kicking a wall or something in frustration.

"Darn it Natsu! You promised that you wouldn't get close to her and you're doing just that!" Gray scolds his closest friend and Natsu winces at his harsh tone.

"Don't you think I know that?" Natsu hisses into the phone, trying to keep his voice hushed from the neighboring strangers giving him odd looks.

"It's just, wherever I go she somehow ends up there and I just can't stay away from her. It's like she's a magnet or something." Natsu mumbles, stepping up in line.

"You do understand if you spill anything about your past you are dead, right?" Gray says, his voice calmer but still slightly panicky.

"Of course I know. But, she's definitely catching on… I don't know how but she is." Natsu confesses, feeling his foot go numb from the rapid tapping, which is due to his anxiety reaching maximum level.

"Listen, take a deep breath and go back there and tell her that you don't feel well. Besides you get motion sickness right? So she won't be able to interrogate you for the whole ride and then when you get to the stop you just let her leave, and then you escape to your car and head home." Gray advises, and Natsu feels his shoulders relax.

Gray was right, and Natsu knew that his plan would definitely work. He did had motion sickness…never in his life would he have thought that it would actually come in handy one day.

She won't be able to get information out of him since he'll be puking his guts out and half conscience.

And he knew that it was safer if Lucy didn't find out.

"Okay, thanks Gray." The rosette thanks his friend who replies with a "sure, call me if you do anything stupid" before they both hang up.

"Next!" The cashier calls out, and Natsu realizes that he's calling him.

Stepping up he smiles at the employee and places in his order.

"A hot coffee please, throw in all your finest spices."

xXx

**AN: This chapter was sweet yet sour I suppose? Lucy and Natsu's past is pretty complicated ain't it? You probably all want me to reveal it, and trust me it will happen...but slowly. **

**Thank you for all of the support on this story!**

**Leave a review pretty please? *bats eyelashes sweetly***

**Until next chapter, toodles~**


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy groaned for the umpteenth time that hour.

Here she thought that after boarding the train, and sitting on the moving vehicle for two whole hours with her new buddy, she could get some answers out of him.

But, the world was clearly against her today.

Turns out Natsu has terrible motion sickness, and has been lying, on her lap may she add, groaning and clutching his stomach. His face was completely paled and a tad green, much to Lucy's disgust.

This was not what she had in mind.

"Natsu, do you want to take some medicine?" Lucy asks, poking his head softly and trying to catch his attention.

He only moans in response, shifting slightly on her lap and digging his face further into the gap between her legs.

Cursing herself as his hot breath feels surprisingly good against her inner thigh, although she's wearing leggings but still she can feel it, she feels her cheeks flare up and with shaky fingers, lifts his heavy head out of her lap and closes the gap before placing his head back down.

Natsu groans once more.

"No medicine." He croaks out, his voice hoarse and Lucy notices his cheeks bulge out slightly.

_If he pukes on me I will kill him._

Lucy thinks to herself, and tries to ease his pain by gently stroking his hair with her fingers. Much to her surprise, his super spiky hair is soft to the touch and Lucy continues to thread her fingers through it.

_You can't be from my past…I wouldn't forget someone like you._

Lucy smiles, wandering just how she could possibly forget a character like his. He's sweet and caring, yet completely unpredictable and reckless.

Looking at her watch she realizes that she still has a full hour on the train before it departs in Magnolia.

Sighing, the blonde rests her head against the window and looks out, mesmerized by the beauty of the winter sky.

And soon her eyes sweep close, and she just prays the cherry haired patient can keep it together until they arrive at their destination.

xXx

"_Jude, look at her! She has serious injuries, do you see how much blood and bandages are on our poor daughter!" Lucy's mother shrieks, tears flowing freely from her hurt eyes._

_Jude embraces his wife, trying his best to calm her down as he stares at their daughter._

_The blonde is lying motionless on a hospital bed. Various tubes are hooked up and wired to her, making her look like a human test subject. Her head wrapped in thousands of bandages, securing any bleeding that is slowly seeping through._

_The rest of her body is wrapped in a mountain of blankets._

_But, she looks dead... her skin so white it's almost translucent and her breaths are so small that it looks as if her chest will collapse from the energy drainage._

_The door to the quiet hospital suddenly flings open, causing the couple to jump in shock and stare with wide eyes at the frazzled mystery person._

"_Is she okay? Is Lucy okay?" The familiar voice asks, panic causing him to scream._

"_Get out of here, it's your fault she's like this! How could you let her…let her…." Layla begins, but her sobs don't let her finish as she buries her face back into her husband's chest and soaks his shirt with her own tears._

_Jude sends a sharp look at the intruder._

"_Out, and never show your face here again." He spits the words, acidic like venom._

_The man says nothing, _

_And then the door closes._

Snapping her eyes open, and feeling like a jolt had woken her up, Lucy trembles.

_Breathe._

She reminds herself, taking in a deep breath and letting it out.

That was the second dream that felt more like a vision than a simple dream. Why was this happening to her? And who was the mysterious person who ran into her hospital room?

More importantly…how was this even happening? She was clearly not conscience so this wasn't a memory.

Just what was going on?

"Mmmm…." Natsu moans, rotating slightly so that he's more comfortable in Lucy's lap. Lucy freezes at his movement, completely forgetting that he's currently laying his head on her lap.

_It all started…when I met you._

The blonde thinks, smiling down softly at the sleeping rosette.

The strange thing about it was that Lucy, although completely flabbergasted at all of these visions, was eager to find out more.

She'd finally be able to find out who she was before the accident, before her memories were taken from her.

She wouldn't just be a fragment of herself.

Lucy Heartphilia would be…

Whole.

xXx

Fluttering her eyes open for the second time that day, well third if you don't count her waking up in the morning, Lucy stretches her sore arms and legs before realizing that her sick buddy is not present.

"Natsu?" She croaks, her voice dry and her eyes still sleepy as she rubs them.

Looking around the train she notices that not people are beginning to get off, meaning that they've stopped at Magnolia.

A pang of hurt grabs her heart as she realizes that Natsu must have left without her.

_Wait, why am I feeling sad…he drooled all over my pants! That jerk, using me as a pillow!_

The blonde mentally screams, huffing in annoyance before standing up and wiping the slobber from her pants. Grabbing her pretty pink suitcase, the blonde whips her hair up into a messy bun, her golden locks spilling all over the place, and walks out of the train ready to greet her parents.

It's been to long since she's last seen them.

The second she steps out of the train the cold air hits her hard, and she shivers immediately. Reaching up her hand to readjust her scarf, her eyes widen as she realizes that it's not wrapped around her neck.

Another stab to her heart.

He took his scarf back without telling her?

_What a jerk!_

Feeling irritated that this stupid rosette is ruining her soon to be reunion with her parents she shakes her head, hoping that he exits her mind. Slapping her palms on her cheeks Lucy forces herself to forget his stupid face.

"Lucy?" A voice asks, and Lucy turns to her right to see her mother's shining smile as she runs up to Lucy.

"Mama!" The blonde squeals like a small child, letting go of her suitcase and wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. The strong scent of home fills the blonde's nostrils as she sniffs her mother's long blonde hair.

"Lucy!" A deep voice says, and she opens her eyes to see her father coming into view, with his arms opened wide as he embraces the two of them.

Giggling happily and feeling warm tears prick the corner of her eyes; Lucy realizes just how much she missed her two loving parents.

After a heartwarming moment and a few shed tears, the family pulls away.

"Let me take your bag sweetheart." Her father suggests, reaching over and taking her pink suitcase. Lucy smiles and thanks her father.

Hooking her arm with Lucy's, her mother leads her out of the station and begins to gossip about everything that's been going on since she's been away. Her father rolls his eyes at most of the comments, the ones where her mother tells her that he's been eating way too much and snoring like he's performing a concert.

Lucy giggles at her mother's funny stories and the small pain in her heart is soon forgotten as warmth seeps in.

She sure missed her family.

"Lucy, tell us about college! How is everything?" Her mother asks enthusiastically, seating herself in the passenger seat and buckling up.

Lucy mimics her mother's actions from the backseat.

"Oh it's been fine, I'll receive my exam scores sometime next week."

"Flying colors I presume?" Her father cuts her off, a smile on his face as Lucy blushes.

"Dad, I could fail…" Her dad raises his brow and gives her a 'who are you and what have you don't with my daughter look'.

"Fine, yeah I probably aced it. Sheeh I'm trying to be modest here!" Lucy pouts, but both of her parents erupt in laughter as the car is swung into motion and they head home. Lucy can't help but giggle as well.

The blonde looks out the window and sees the snow falling softly, paving the black streets with a blanket of pure white.

Feeling a bubbling excitement that Christmas is only a few short days away, Lucy can't help but feel a wide smile spread on her lips.

The rest of the ride home, Lucy is happily chatting with her parents while staring out the window with starry eyes at the beauty of the snowfall.

_Nothing like being home._

xXx

Pulling into his driveway, Natsu feels the far too familiar feeling of dread.

He hated coming home.

Parking the car and hopping out into the frigid cold of winter, Natsu snuggles his face into the warmth of his scarf.

Gray's plan was a success. Much to his advantage, Lucy had already fallen asleep and didn't wake up when the train skidded to a stop. It took him a few deep breaths, and a pop of four painkillers to get him off of that train in one piece.

He managed to avoid her, and even though he knew she'd be confused as to where he went and why he left, he couldn't have her seeing him pulling into the driveway right next to hers.

No, that would be suicide.

"I'm home." Natsu announces to nobody in particular, and is greeted with the flickering of the hallway lamplight.

The house is dark, meaning that no one is home. Not like anyone was ever home anyways. Sighing, he flicks on the lights. As the lights illuminate the room so does his brain illuminate all of the memories held in this house.

The dreadful and painful memories he's tried to erase while in college.

He looks into the living room and realizes that the Christmas tree isn't even set up, and the wonderful cheery decorations he used to spend hours putting up are probably still stored in the basement.

Forcing himself not to feel the bitter pain of sadness edge into his heart, he averts his eyes from the barren living room and walks up the creaky mahogany stairs.

Retreating to his room, he throws his suitcase and bags in the corner of his room and collapses on the bed. Running a tired hand down his face, he groans and rolls over so that his face is buried in his pillow.

It's been three years since his adoptive father had died, and even longer since his biological father magically disappeared.

When his adoptive father, a kind hearted man who was in his older years, was dying he entrusted Natsu with the house and his large business corporation.

And Natsu, being the loyal guy he is, couldn't say no…but the business…he never wanted it. And so after his adoptive father's death he decided to put the business on hold until after he graduated college.

Then he would decide what to do with the opportunity.

And then there was the story of his biological father.

Natsu never truly got to know the man.

He was four years old when one day he woke up and realized that his dad had just gone up and left the house without a trace. No note. Not letter. Nothing.

He remembered being sent to an orphanage after going to school that day and announcing that his papa was missing.

From that day on he lived in Magnolia with his adoptive father, and slowly forgot about his actual dad.

That is until his adoptive father died. Then the memories came flooding back and they hurt like hell.

The torturous nights spent crying at that foster home knowing that his father would never come back, the resentment from the other kids because they viewed him as an unwanted child, and the one question that haunted him.

_What did I do wrong?_

He must have done something wrong if his father left.

And so, the pinkette made it his goal to one day find his father and apologize.

How he was going to do that?

That was still a work in progress.

And ever since his adoptive father's death, his life was miserable.

He couldn't function properly and even his closest friends found that there was no hope in helping him.

He was just so achingly alone, and he couldn't bare it much longer. He became depressed, locked away in an isolated dungeon he called his room.

Sometimes he wondered if dying would hurt.

He just wanted to give up.

That is until he met _her._

Then everything changed. She became the reason he kept going, she brought all the happiness he missed in his life, and bandaged the old wounds that wouldn't stop opening before she came into his life.

She made him happy; many said that she changed him for the better.

And Natsu had to agree, she made him want to be a better man.

And that year, the year before they both went off to college, became the single most memorable year in his whole life.

That is until the accident.

Worst part?

It was all his fault.

Shaking his head, Natsu forces himself to snap out of all of the depressing thoughts lingering in his mind and sits up.

"I'm going to go watch some T.V." He mumbles to himself, needing to get his mind off…life.

Resting his head comfortably on his pillow and crossing one leg over the other as he lies down, he flicks on the T.V. and watches some stupid comedy show to lift his spirits.

_Happy Holidays._

Natsu thinks bitter sweetly as a Christmas commercial comes on the screen.

_Nope, nothing happy about this at all._

_xXx_

**_AN: Not quite satisfied with this chapter but it will have to do. So, what do you guys think of Natsu's background? I hope I explained it well. And hopefully you like it that I'm explaining the past...not Lucy and Natsu's past but hey it's a start! Also a lengthy chapter...so yay!_**

**_Next chapter will have big revelations I think, or it could be the one afterwards since I might just focus on Holiday fluff. Yeah I think I'll do that._**

**_Please leave a review, I love hearing your feedback. _**

**_Until next chapter, toodles~_**


	9. Chapter 9

Sitting criss cross applesauce on her comfy pink bed, Lucy listens attentively to her best friend.

"Can you believe him? He's literally the sweetest boyfriend on the face of the planet." Levy squeals happily, and Lucy can imagine the sweet smile spread on her lips and her hands flailing happily.

Lucy smiles.

"Levy that's great, I'm glad you have someone like Gajeel." Lucy says happily, laughing as her friend goes on and on about Gajeel and their plans for Christmas.

Turns out Gajeel surprised her at the door this morning with a small present, a promise ring.

Levy practically passed out.

"How about you and Natsu?" Levy asks, and the blonde can hear the blunette smirk.

Lucy's cheeks flare up.

"Nothing's happening between us." Lucy squeaks, cursing her heart for beating a mile a minute.

Lucy can hear Levy roll her eyes.

"Suuuuuure~ you two will be soooo cute together!" Levy says happily and Lucy groans.

The blonde ignores her friend's fantasies about her and the stupid rosette, and decides to look out the window at the gentle snowfall.

That is until her eyes roll over to the neighbor's driveway and she gasps.

Is that…pink hair?

"I have to go Levy." Lucy says, not letting her friend finish her sentence before hanging up. She drops the phone on the fluffy bed, not caring for its well being.

Shooting up from her position on the bed, Lucy grabs her oversized puffy coat off of her chair and runs out her bedroom door.

"Lucy, where are on earth you going?" She hears her mother call out from the kitchen with a stern and chilled voice.

Lucy stomps down the stairs, her golden locks flowing behind her, and halts at her mother's voice.

"Mail guy just dropped off…Christmas cards!" She makes up an excuse and flies out the door, hoping not to miss the rosette.

Running out of her house, the frigid weather hits her naked pale cheeks and they turn a rosy color. The pure white snow litters her shining golden hair, making her look like some sort of snow angel.

Lucy sees the rose haired man grab his mail and turn his head to look at the direction of her.

When their eyes meet Lucy is shocked.

"Natsu?!" Lucy yells out, slowing down as she approaches him.

The look on Natsu's face is of pure horror. It seems as though he's looking at a ghost.

"L-Lucy…" He trails, and the sudden trace of fear lingers in his eyes.

"I didn't know we were neighbors." Lucy states, placing a hand on her hip and eyes his face with suspicion.

A moment of thickened silence passes and Natsu can only hope this is some kind of freakish nightmare while Lucy remembers a very important fact that causes her blood to boil.

_-SLAP!_

Natsu's already rosy cheek is now tainted with a bright red handprint.

"How could you just ditch me back at the station?!" Lucy screams, watching as the rosette rubs his cheek and mutters something under his breath.

"And since when were we neighbors? How could I not know? Why didn't you _tell_ me? I thought we were friends?!" Lucy fires, stopping at nothing as all of her pent up emotions just spill.

Why was she even bothering with him? He was an idiot and Lucy knew that.

But she was sick of living a half-life, the blonde wanted answers and fast.

Just who was this guy, and why was he suddenly popping up in her life and all over the place?!

Natsu averts his gaze down to stare at the snow, and scuffs his foot awkwardly.

What could he possibly tell her? That they used to be childhood friends and dated?

No way.

"Answer me Dragneel." Lucy commands coldly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Before the rosette can open his mouth to speak, the front door to Lucy's home flings open and her father's smile turns into a frown once he spots the two of them. He shoots Natsu an unfriendly glare before his eyes turn over to his daughter.

Natsu shivers under his gaze, which Lucy notes.

"Lucy, what are you doing out here? Get back inside." He says nicely, but Natsu can feel the anger rolling off his tongue as his eyes practically pierces into Natsu's soul.

The blonde turns around to face her father.

"I'll be there in a second." She replies, turning back to face her attention at Natsu.

"Lucy, get inside the house." He says more sternly this time.

"Dad I said one se-"

"Now." He snaps, his voice causing the blonde to flinch.

"This isn't over Dragneel." Lucy quietly threats him, shoving a finger against his chest before storming back inside.

Natsu shoves his hands in his oversized coat's pockets and watches as the door slams shut and Jude Heartphilia sends him nasty glares until the door is closed.

The pinkette sighs.

She's catching on.

And soon enough he'd have to reveal all of the secrets.

xXx

"Lucy what do you think you're doing out in this weather?!" Her father scolds her, taking the jacket off of her slender body and hanging it in the closet as the blonde shakes the snow off of her boots.

"Why didn't you tell me Natsu was our neighbor when I mentioned him?" Lucy asks, throwing her shoes in the closet and retreating to the kitchen for something warm to drink.

Her father follows her and takes a seat while her mother pours both of them warm hot chocolate.

Jude slides a hand through his hair and sighs.

"Lucy, it's not important." He comments weakly, taking the warm cup from his wife and sipping on its contents.

Lucy's eyebrows wiggle in frustration.

"Why do I get the feeling that you don't like Natsu Dragneel?" Lucy asks, watching as her mother leans against the kitchen counters and sighs. Her father places his cup down on the table and sighs once again.

They're definitely hiding something, and the blonde is fed up with lies and cover stories.

"Just tell me! First off, how do you even know Natsu? I only became friends with him this year, and it seems like you guys hate his guts or something. Dad, you were glaring at him like he was a murderer just a few minutes ago!" Lucy fumes, crossing her arms over her chest and watching as her parent's exchange a look and then a nod.

"Lucy, we're only protecting you…you don't know what Natsu Dragneel is really like." Layla says softly, warm eyes looking towards her daughter.

Lucy's eyes widen.

"You mean he's…he's someone I knew before the accident?" Lucy asks, feeling her throat go completely dry.

She had guessed he was, but now hearing the confirmation from her parents she feels as if the world is spinning.

Why didn't he tell her? Why did he keep it a secret all this time?

"We didn't want to tell you Lucy, we figured it'd be better if you forgot all about him." Her father says warmly, patting her shoulder sympathetically.

"But, why did you keep it a secret?" Lucy manages to choke out, feeling her whole body tremble as she processes the information.

Her mother's expression turns dark and her father's hand stiffens on her shoulder.

"Lucy…Natsu…" Her mother trails, and the blonde notices small tears in the corner of her chocolate eyes.

"What did Natsu do?" Lucy asks, staring at her mother whose mere seconds from breaking down.

Jude inhales sharply through his nose, before answering the puzzled blonde.

"Natsu was the cause of your accident."

xXx

_2 years ago_

The music only became louder as a certain rosette pulls into an overcrowded driveway. Car after car is spilling into the well-kept grass of the Eucliffe property, and now the pinkette's red truck is one of them.

Stepping out his car into the warm night air, he slams the car door shut and storms up to the front door. The music now is blaring in his ears, causing them to drum with the beat, and the stench of alcohol and sweat is seeping through the cracks of the door.

Not bothering to knock, he kicks the door open and walks in without a care. People turn his way, big drunken smiles on their faces as they greet him with slaps on the backs and some wasted girls grab his shirt.

The rosette flings them away, and storms through the crowd of sweaty bodies.

He only came here for one girl, and he will leave with one girl.

Walking around the house aimlessly, he finds his way outside and spots the girl he's been looking for. She's holding a red solo cup in her hand, swaying back and forth as she laughs with a group of boys who don't even bother looking at her gorgeous eyes but rather at her slightly exposed cleavage.

The scene sickens the cherry haired teen, and so he plows through the large crowd outside and smoothly slips into the circle of guys.

"There's a free bedroom on the third floor babe." One of them says, and Natsu shoots his eyes towards the voice noticing it came out of the mouth of none other and Sting Eucliffe.

Suppressing a growl, Natsu shoves him aside and grabs Lucy's wrists. Sting, too drunk to comprehend what just happens, falls on another girl who happily allows him to lie on top of her.

"What are youuu doing hereeee~" Lucy says slurring her words before giggling to herself.

Natsu furrows his brows.

She's drunk out of her mind, wearing a skimpy dress, and flirting with perverted boys.

"We're going home." He says sternly, and Lucy pouts cutely at his words.

"But I just got here!" She hiccups, trying to loosen his grip with no luck.

Natsu sighs and tries to pull her away from the group of hungry boys, but she pulls away from him and sends him a death glare.

"No. I'm staying." She says sternly but sways awkwardly on her feet. She raises the cup to her lips but before she takes another sip of the fizzing alcohol Natsu grabs the cup and flings it out of her grasp.

"Whaaaa~" She slurs, staring sadly at the cup on the grass.

"Come on Luce, let's go home you don't belong here." Natsu tries to reason with her, and reaches for her wrist once again.

She slaps him before he can grab her, and giggles as his eyebrows wiggle in frustration.

"Yeah, let Lucy stay Dragneel, you're not her dad." Sting says casually, sliding beside Lucy and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Lucy giggles as he whispers something into her ear, and her cheeks flare up.

This causes something to snap in Natsu, and with his hot temper and animalistic nature, he acts without reason.

_-PUNCH! –CRACK!_

Sting stumbles back, and because of his drunken state, falls flat on his back on the grass. Lucy gasps, and people around the three turn to look at the commotion.

"What the hell man?!" Sting curses, grabbing his bloody nose and sitting up.

Panting, Natsu spins around on his heel and grabs Lucy's wrist tugging her behind him.

"Natsu stop!" Lucy shrieks, struggling under his way too tight grasp. He doesn't even turn around, just storms through the crowd of people until he gets to the living room where Lucy somehow manages to wiggle out of his grasp.

She stumbles back and falls onto someone, who glares at her before walking into the other room. Letting out a small drunken squeal, Natsu whips his head around to find her dusting off her dress and glaring daggers at him.

"Come on Luce, let's get out of here." He pleas, a gentle smile on his lips.

"No." Lucy persists, pouting like a child and smiling as some random guy whistles as he walks by and his eyes trail down her perfect body.

Natsu's blood boils.

"We're going home right now." Natsu snarls, coming over to her.

Lucy backs up each time he steps closer.

"I'm not going anywhere with you! I've barely been here an hour." The blonde protests.

"And you're drunk, more reason as to why we should leave." Natsu fires back, shoving some horny girl away from him.

"You aren't my father Natsu, I can do whatever I want!" She fumes, stopping as her back hits the wall.

She folds her arms over her chest and clicks her tongue as Natsu's jaw relaxes and he tries to compose himself.

"Lucy, I understand you're having a good time but you have a drinking problem and I promised your parents I'd take care you. I _am_ your boyfriend." He says softly, a warm and caring smile on his lips as he watches her arms fall to her sides and eyes widen.

He finally got her to calm down, now he just had to get her out of her and-

_-SLAP!_

And sure as heck the rosette did _not_ expect that.

"How dare you say I have a drinking problem?! I'm at a party, people drink, and it's what happens. You're just too much of a goody two shoes to actually have _fun._" She snaps.

Natsu, with widened eyes and a jaw hung open, rubs his red tinted cheek.

Not only is he trying to help her but also he's getting a beating! Now it's his turn to be angry.

"Look at yourself! You're too drunk to even think straight and you just slapped me! I'm just trying to help you, you need to get out of here before the police show up or worse your parents find out about this." Natsu shouts angrily, but the blonde doesn't even flinch at his harsh tone.

She simply shrugs.

"Screw them, my parents are rich they'll bail me out. And since when have I been grounded for more than an hour?" Lucy says nonchalantly, laughing as if it's some kind of a joke.

Well to her, it is.

"You think this is a joke?!" Natsu snaps, his voice raised so loud that it can be heard over the music.

Some people stop dancing and look over at the pair. The blonde doesn't even bother looking him in the eyes as she grabs a drink from a passing stranger.

"Pinky, my life is a joke." She slurs, taking a swig from the bottle.

Blinded with anger, Natsu snatches the bottle from her and chucks it against the wall. It shatters into a thousand pieces and Lucy curses at him loudly.

"What the hell is your problem?! Just get out of here!" She yells at him loudly, tears slowly beginning to form in her eyes as she notices Natsu's enraged eyes.

To be completely honest, Lucy has never seen Natsu this upset and it scares her. She's used to him being the ball of sunshine that's constantly smiling…but seeing him so upset and angry makes her insides churn.

"_You're_ my problem! You should have never even started coming to these parties, look at what they're doing to you, to _us._" He fires at her, pointing a finger at her. His eyes are engulfed in fire, his cheeks are red with anger, and his voice is sharp and pointed.

Just like a knife.

The words stab Lucy in the heart.

Without giving it full thought, she feels the warm tears pour down her sweaty cheeks.

She was his problem…of course she was. The blonde was constantly out partying, skipping school, getting drunk, and who was always there for her?

Natsu.

He was always that shoulder to lean on.

"Just go home Lucy." Natsu says, inhaling sharply through his nose and running a hand through his hair.

"N-Natsu, I-I'm-"

"I don't want to hear it, just…just get out of my life Lucy. I don't need this anymore, I can't do _this_ anymore." He says, circling his arms over his head as if mentioning the whole party. The rage and fury blinding his own ears from hearing what he had just heard.

Lucy's world slowly starts to crumble, but the amount of alcohol in her body causes her to cry and feel frustrated all at the same time. Unable to sustain her emotions she acts on instinct…

To get the hell out of there.

"Fine, you want me gone," She says grabbing a bottle from yet another passing stranger.

"I'll leave."

And with that she storms out of the house, bottle in hand, and not looking back once.

Her ears buzzing and her drunken legs wobbly as she climbs into her car, she floors it and follows the wobbly road to wherever it takes her.

"He wants me gone huh?" She yells loudly, as she approaches a sharp turn.

She raises the bottle in the air drunkenly and takes a swig.

"Then I'll be gone!" She says, giggling oddly and letting go of the wheel letting her drunken and fogged mind take control of her actions.

Letting go of her life,

Her cares,

Letting go,

Of him.

* * *

><p><strong>I am really nervous to upload this chapter. I hope it meets everyones expectations (?) <strong>

**I did enjoy writing it though, making the back story was fun!**

**Next chapter expect more NaLu...!**

**Hopefully you guys enjoyed this drama infused chapter.**

**Leave a review pleaseeee! (cherry on top!)**

**Until next chapter, toodles~**


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